Vesela Yatsinska (Bulgarian: Весела Яцинска, née Tasheva (Bulgarian: Ташева, on 16 January 1951) is a retired Bulgarian middle-distance runner who specialized in the 800 and 1500 metres.
She was born in Botevgrad, and represented the club Balkan Botevgrad.[1] She finished eighth at the 1976 European Indoor Championships,[2] won the silver medal at the 1977 European Indoor Championships,[3] finished fourth at the 1978 European Indoor Championships[4] and fourth again at the 1982 European Indoor Championships[5]
She competed for the first time at the Olympics in 1976, only in the 1500 metres. She finished third in the first heat, but was knocked out in the semi-finals with a sixth place and a time of 4:07.89 minutes. At the 1980 Summer Olympics she did not progress past round one in the 1500 metres, despite achieving a personal best time of 4.04.70 minutes.[1] [6] She also competed in the 800 metres and reached the semi-final there. She ran almost identical in her two rounds: 1:59.83 in the heat and 1:59.84 in the semi-final.[1] She later finished seventh in the 1500 metres at the 1982 European Championships.[7]
She became Bulgarian 800 metres champion in 1980, 1500 metres champion in 1976 and 1982 and 3000 metres champion in 1979 and 1981.[8] She also became Bulgarian indoor champion in the 800 metres in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1982.[9]
She had personal bests of 1:58.9 minutes in the 800 metres, achieved in July 1979 in Paris;[10] 2:35.65 minutes in the 1000 metres, achieved in August 1982 in Sofia;[11] 4:21.52 minutes in the mile run, achieved in June 1982 in Budapest;[12] and 8:52.89 minutes in the 3000 metres, achieved in August 1979 in Turin.[13]